MORRISVILLE, N.Y. — Looking for a reason to take a countryside road trip and explore more of Madison County? Nearly everyone has experienced a disruption of their summer plans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. On a second examination of our unfortunate circumstances, there are many exciting possibilities for using our free time. Madison County’s rolling hills and field-painted landscapes offer a beautiful scenic drive for a weekend outing. Furthermore, the pandemic has caused many to find comfort in the ability to purchase local food from our essential and dependable Madison County farmers. Taking a weekend drive to discover and support local food producers is the perfect way to relax on the weekend, soaking up the natural beauty of Madison County while filling your pantry and fridge with delicious local food.
How can you easily find nearby farms that sell retail goods on location? Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County (CCEMC) is excited to release an interactive online map that presents the locations of farm stands, stores that stock local goods, and garden centers to assist in locating local food options. This tool was created by summer intern Rachel Lines, a sophomore at Northeastern University and local Cazenovia resident.
The Madison County Local Food Map is accessible online and easy to use. A link to the map can now be found on the CCEMC website and is provided below. One click will open a Google Map, which displays known farm stands, stores, and garden centers in Madison County that provide local food. Each type of location is marked by an icon. When selected, information about the location appears including address, season of operation, and products available. Access this map via computer to plan your local food road trip or open the map via the Google Maps app on your mobile device to explore destinations while traveling the countryside.
Knowing where your food is sourced and how it was produced are concerns that are becoming increasingly important to local consumers. Therefore, CCEMC asks the public to help grow this local food map! As you explore the plethora of local food options displayed on this map, please provide feedback to help us improve this internship project. If you notice a farm stand that is not on the map and you would like to see it added, please let us know! Or, if you notice any errors in the map, this feedback is also very important. Feedback can be provided directly to Rachel Lines at rml276@cornell.edu, or you can provide suggestions via a feedback form found on the CCEMC website below the map link. Farms and businesses will be included on the map if information can be sourced online or if the farmer or business owner can be contacted. We hope that through the feedback of the community and local food producers, this map will continue to expand and better represent the availability of local food in Madison County.
See below for a link to the CCEMC website and the Madison County Local Food Map:
Happy exploring!
–Cornell Cooperative Extension
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